Patent EA-003521-B1 (EA)
Title: Linear spring-loaded actuator for a valve
Inventor: KREMER PAUL
IPC: F16K31/122
Filed: 2000-12-13
Abstract: 1. A linear spring-loaded actuator (10) for a valve (12), said actuator (10) comprising: a housing (14), an actuating spindle (16) slidably supported in said housing (14), a cap (22) associated with said housing (14), spring means (36) arranged in said housing (14), said spring means (36) bearing on said cap (22) and said actuating spindle (16), so as to exert a spring force on said actuating spindle (16); a thread (26) on said housing and a thread (24', 24'') on said cap (22), said threads (24', 24'', 26) cooperating for screwing said cap (22) on said housing (14) so as to preload said spring means (36) in said housing (14); characterized by at least one lock means (40) associated with one of said threads (24), said lock means (40) being capable of deforming this thread (24', 24'') so as to lock it in any position on the cooperating thread (26). 2. The actuator as claimed in claim 1, characterized by two diametrically opposed lock means (40) associated with the thread (24', 24'') on said cap (22). 3. The actuator as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said lock means (40) comprises: a slot (42) penetrating laterally in one (24', 24'') of said threads so as to locally split said thread (24', 24'') in two thread halves (24', 24'') and a screw (44) associated with said slot (42) so as to be capable of locally drawing together or separating said two thread halves (24', 24''). 4. The actuator as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said lock means (40) comprises: two slots (42) penetrating laterally in the thread (24', 24'') of said cap (22) at two diametrically opposed locations, so as to locally split said thread in two thread halves (24', 24'') at each of said two diametrically opposed locations and a screw (44) associated with each of said two slots (42) so as to be capable of locally drawing together or separating said two thread halves (24', 24''). 5. The actuator as claimed in claim 3 or 4, characterized in that said slot (42) divides in said cap (22) a first section (54) from a second section (56), said first section (54) having said first thread half (24') thereon and said second section (56) having said second thread half (24'') thereon. 6. The actuator as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that said screw (44) has a screw head (58) and a screw barrel (60) with a threaded foot end (62) said screw head (58) bears on a first (54) of said two sections, and said first (54) of said two sections and said slot (42) are traversed by said screw barrel (60); and the second section (56) has a threaded bore in which said threaded foot end (62) is received, so that it is possible to draw together said two sections (54, 56) by screwing in said screw (44). 7. The actuator as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that said screw has a threaded screw barrel and a foot end a first of said two sections has a threaded through bore said threaded screw barrel is screwed in said threaded through bore and traverses said slot and said foot end bears on the second section, so that it is possible to separate said two sections by screwing in said screw. 8. The actuator as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that said spring means (36) comprises at least one Belleville spring washer. 9. The actuator as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, characterized by a fluid operated piston assembly (28, 28', 28'') in said housing. 10. A valve including a linear spring-loaded actuator (10) as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims.